“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But, since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” – Andre Gide
Let them find the puddles
you pointed out —
what you call falling,
they call jumping.
Let them fly
to figure out fortunes.
Let them forget my name
and find their own.
Let me still be here
but let me let them go.
Shared with dVerse Poetics – Let them
Today’s Daily Stoic poem:
This was written in November regarding a specific incident involving a student. Something common among many of the students I teach is the lack of affection they have received in their short lifetimes, not knowing or understanding that they are missing it. Just a simple hug has made a big difference to many.
Today’s Daily Stoic poem:
Shared with Reena’s Xploration Challenge #413 and based on an interesting incident this week. The inappropriate title comes from a translation of the subject’s name.
The form is the Wayra: This short syllabic verse has 5 lines with a syllable count of 5/7/7/6/8. It is unrhymed and incorporates onomatopoeia within the verse.
Today’s Daily Stoic poem:
I found a job that I truly love, where I can put my whole self into it.
Shared with dVerse OLN #396 and this didn’t get many eyes and also conveniently meets the What’s Going On prompt this week too.
Today I’m feeling:
Good again. I’m enjoying the feeling of being revitalised from my morning exercise. I woke up with a start this morning, though, which was good in that I wasn’t waking before my alarm like earlier this week.
For some reason, I was dreaming about opening a (?) for my student, Fah, and I also had an impression that I had been dreaming about an old workmate, Steve. I’m not sure why they were roaming around in my subconscious.
My first class was fun and straightforward but the two-hour break following it has made me tired and uninspired. I will teach the same lesson again soon to another class of the same grade but I’m doubting it will go as well. I may be doubting myself here rather than the students.
(After) Although the second class was a little more difficult to deal with, everyone at least submitted something to me, whilst some of my first class just left because they couldn’t answer the questions and weren’t interested in asking me for help.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
My student, Spain, who filled me in on some classroom gossip from his perspective. He’s a year older than everyone else as he has some kind of quirky autism which held him back a year and whilst he struggles to interact in a ‘normal’ manner, he’s fairly bright and knowledgeable and today I discovered that he is particularly observant.
He told me how he sees everything that is going on, who is with who, when they come and go, lots and lots of details. It was interesting to talk with him but also tiring as I struggled to hear him through his face mask and the sudden twists and turns he makes in conversation.
The best thing about today was:
Buying a punnet of strawberries at the walking street and scoffing them all with coconut ice cream, yoghurt and mini-Toblerones in a big bowl. So much for all that exercise and trying to lose weight!
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I was not inspired to write after a provocative (to me) comment was posted on my poem, Christmas In Gaza, that I read this morning.
I’ve left the comment there without response but it essentially boils down to divisions through religion – ie, my god is better than yours. There’s no reasoning with this, so I’ll not engage.
Internally, though, the rage of hypocrisy burns so brightly. I need to let it go. It’s not my business what others choose to believe.
A few minutes after writing this, I started thinking about how things in general these days are about winning and losing and while some folks lose online arguments, others are losing their lives and the winners are rewriting their histories in some form or another. This triggered off a flow of words and I managed to get the bad feeling out.
Something I learned today?
Hong Kong is the only city in the world that uses seawater to flush its toilets.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
This morning, I encouraged Baipad to finish off a drawing she had started and when I messaged her this evening, asking her what the best thing about her day, it was that she had finished it.
Today I’m feeling:
Really good after invigorating exercise this morning. It’s cold this morning but as I’m charged up from the exercise, I’m ok with just a shirt.
All the kids are asking me if I’m cold, as they are wearing thick jackets already. I can feel that it is cold but I’m not really feeling it. It’s 18 degrees, so still a nice English summer morning!
Health:
Physical: 8
Mental: 8
Today I’m grateful for:
Both of my classes today being very accommodating and easy to teach, though admittedly I had stretched this lesson, about the TV show Hormones, out across two weeks, so that this week all they are required to do is some writing.
They all complain about writing and think that they aren’t learning anything – sometimes the best form of teaching!
The best thing about today was:
Along with the two classes was a four-hour break, which I enjoyed at 22 Grams as Couple Cups was closed.
I got some reading out of the way during this time but also felt that I didn’t have enough time to do all that I wanted. But that always seems to be the case.
Something I learned today?
Amy caught up with Nong Na for lunch today and then Amy caught me up on her news but most of all, I was happy to receive a gift of Toblerone from her!
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I’ve been chatting with Nong Fah a little bit every day to try and help her with her English. She was upset with her art teacher because she wouldn’t let her take her artwork home to finish it. She showed me a photo of the art and I was quite surprised at how good it was.
I’ve also been trying to contact Anchan, as when I saw her yesterday, she was in a really bad mood, and today she didn’t come to school.
Inspired by this Second Thought video
Today I’m feeling:
Good, especially knowing that tomorrow is another day off again.
I was expecting fewer students at school today but all my classes were reasonably full. That’s fine, though. I found some random lesson to teach, as the one that I really want to do, I want to start in a week when there are no holidays (which may actually be difficult!)
Health:
Physical: 8
Mental: 8
Today I’m grateful for:
Amy’s mum for giving us her old car. We don’t expect or ask anything much from the family, so it was a nice surprise.
The best thing about today was:
I enjoyed two of my classes today, where we talked about kindness. Two of the last questions raised much discussion as I asked what Random Acts of Kindness they had done recently and then what one they could do in the next 24 hours.
Many students just thought that helping their parents clean the house was sufficient but I had to impress on them that it must be random, not something that they normally do and so usually with someone that they don’t know.
I asked them to commit to doing what they wrote and to send me a picture or video. I doubt I will get anything from them but I will probably revisit this later with them.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
Amy got mum’s old car today and took it to a place to change the stereo. I needed Bluetooth, USB for power and audio input but from the picture Amy sent I can’t send any audio input for my iPod.
I’m hoping I can find a solution if that is the case.
When I got home, Amy was still in the city and there had been a typical Thai-style non-communication, which ended up with us not getting the car back and Amy driving mum’s brand new car back instead.
As to mum’s new car – that’s another drama but I’ll leave that for another time.
Something I learned today?
After really enjoying reading the Lucifer comics and a few years ago seeing that the TV show was quite highly rated, I thought that I would give it a try.
Sadly, it is US trash TV – enjoyable but vapid. I wasn’t expecting it to be like the comics but I was also disappointed with its lack of depth and reduction of characters to caricatures.
I really don’t enjoy this style of TV anymore – even though it is quite similar to comic book schlock. I want my comic book schlock only in my comic books.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
I talked with a few teachers about options for Anchan and they all suggested talking with Teacher Em and that there are possibilities for her to get loan money from the government.
Via translation, I talked with Anchan about this. She didn’t seem so keen on talking with Teacher Em at this stage and is already thinking of applying for the loan next semester (she’s not eligible yet).
She also told me that she has been talking with an Auntie who she can live with later this month and that she is helping with money.
At the end of the day, I told her that she will need to go through these channels in future and that she won’t be able to come to me to ask for money. I don’t want to believe the worst about her but it is possible that she is just using me. Right now, on a personal level, I don’t care about that but going forward, she will have to pursue these avenues first.
Shared with dVerse Quadrille #213 – with
Today I’m feeling:
Good once I got going. I woke up stiff but tried my best with some tough ab exercises (tough for me!).
Lin told me this morning that my tummy was smaller today but I think she was teasing me!
I continued with my grade 8 classes in the same style as yesterday and that all went well (for me at least!)
Finishing off with just half of the students in my grade 11 class – the HAP students, as last week I only taught the J-Biz students and I knew the J-Biz kids could go and do preparation work for the Japan Day next month.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 8
Today I’m grateful for:
Gui at House contacting me saying that he will open again but he’s starting again at a new location in the city, which is a shame as it will be too far for me to go each day.
It was nice of him to contact me, though and let me know what he’s up to. I think I will try and get out on Tuesdays when I have a four-hour gap between classes. I will go to his new shop and also try a couple of others to see if I can find a nice spot again.
The best thing about today was:
Today was another one of those all-around good days with nothing in particular standing out as better than anything else. I like days like this.
I also think that going back to a full tablet of sertraline has had an immediate effect on my mood. I’m told that it’s such a low dose that it’s not even likely to be doing anything and it’s supposed to take a couple of weeks to take effect and perhaps it’s the placebo effect and all but either way, after just two days back at 50mg, I don’t have any bad feelings or thoughts.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
It was a little annoying to me to watch George just sitting in a classroom looking at his phone whilst his class were just playing games, doing make-up or messing around. I teach those students too, so I took the opportunity to help a couple of them whose work I didn’t have time to check during my class with them.
Review your acts, Good and bad.
David was getting frustrated with trying to print out his monthly report today and he asked me to help. I ribbed him about using a Windows laptop and even me trying to help didn’t fix the problem.
I asked him to send me the file so I could try it and, of course, it printed properly on the first try.
With my little windfall yesterday, I sent Anchan a little more money to support her.
I’m also trying to encourage Baipad to get back into drawing more, especially as it is something she shares in common with a boy she likes.
When I was coming back in from the cafe, some of my old grade 9 students were kicking a ball around, so I joined them. Next to us was another group of students also kicking a ball around.
Kru Ell was navigating her way between the two groups when the other group’s ball accidentally hit her on the head and hands, knocking her glasses off and spilling her drink to the ground.
The boys were super apologetic and I got the one boy who had kicked the ball to quickly go back into the cafe and get her another drink. Kru Ell’s glasses were ok and she was more shocked than anything – she didn’t blame the kids.
This mondo shared with #TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge: Silver Linings. Image found at Palestine Will Be Free Substack
6th Dec 2025 – Shared with Poets and Storytellers United #206 – everybody scream
Today I’m feeling:
Surprisingly good. I slept ok until my dream, which was disembarking from an airplane and then searching for a bathroom and never managing to find one.
I was approaching consciousness and wondering what time it was and whether to get up to pee. I decided to look at my phone and it was only 4 minutes until my alarm, so I got up and took advantage of the extra few minutes with my exercise and hanging.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
An unexpected windfall.
Last year, sick of my student Kwang never having a working phone when I was constantly having students utilise their phones in class, I brought in my old Samsung for her to use. To be honest, I never really expected it to come back, knowing what Kwang is like.
At the end of last semester, I kept asking her to bring the phone back but she always had some excuse about it. I asked Kru Karn to ask her parents and grandparents about it too, but all to no avail.
Due to her poor performance in school, Kwang was due to switch schools for this semester but needed all the paperwork sorted at our school first. Kru Karn used my phone as a hold over her being able to go to a new school, asking her to either return the phone or pay for it. I have no idea how much it was worth and just came up with 6000 baht off the top of my head.
Kwang’s mum asked for a discount to 5000 baht, to which I readily agreed, still not expecting anything to come of it, but this morning suddenly, I was 5000 baht richer!
I have no idea what ever happened to the phone, my guess is that either Kwang or her mum sold it already, maybe for more than I was asking. I don’t care, it doesn’t matter.
I liked Kwang, though she was obviously fucked up by her family situation. She has chosen a path that I tried to steer her away from but I hope that one day she will be mature enough to figure her way back, as she is smart, too.
As I told Kru Karn, I tried my best for her.
The best thing about today was:
Coming across a great lesson for my grade 8 classes today. It started with writing out a simple text with some highlighted words and those words they had to translate. This is usually the first two parts of a reading class that I will do, usually followed by asking them to read for me and answer some comprehension questions.
As this was a very simple text and they had seen it before with Kru NumNim last semester, I thought to try something different.
They had 11 highlighted words or phrases, which they could understand because they had already translated them. Then I asked them to write a sentence for each word but, the first sentence must be three words long, the second sentence four words long and so on.
This task got everyone settled down into figuring out proper sentences with this restriction. I advised them that they could use Google Translate (or ChatGPT) to help but some had a go at it by themselves.
As a follow-up to this, I will take their phones from them tomorrow and ask them to do the task again.
These two classes are usually stressful for me but this lesson really worked well. These kinds of lessons come along every now and then and I think I have to utilise the idea a few more times in the semester.
What was out of your control today and how did you handle it?
I strained my lower back a little bit today but it was my own fault. In my morning exercise, I did Swimmer-Superman, which engages the lower back and the strain feels nice.
In the afternoon, I wandered into monkey Sarah’s class and she came and played with me. To playfully punish her, I picked her up around the waist and turned her upside down. She screamed and laughed and I let her down again.
A few minutes later, I felt a twinge in my lower back. I asked her how much she weighed, as she is pretty skinny and probably not even 5 feet tall. She said that she was 48kg, which is more than some of her friends who are taller than her.
Anyway, I will be more careful about who I pick up and play with next time!
Something I learned today?
(See above!)
Shared with Poets and Storytellers United – opposite concepts
Today I’m feeling:
Not so bad, though my stomach still feels a bit weird but I think I have it in my control again!
I didn’t sleep particularly well as I was hot throughout the night. It seems that winter is taking its time arriving properly this year and I still put the aircon on for a few hours but considering keeping it on all night if it helps me stay asleep.
I skipped exercise this morning, mostly due to fear of an accident when squatting or doing a sit-up etc.
I took a full sertraline again today and will see if I settle back down with my thoughts again.
Health:
Physical: 7
Mental: 7
Today I’m grateful for:
Getting my monthly report finished during the 50-minute break between classes. At least, assuming that it doesn’t need revision. It’s another task that is a waste of time but someone somewhere has decided it is necessary, probably because someone else, somewhere else, has been abusing the system. Never let a good solution get in the way of doing extra work!
The best thing about today was:
Both my classes today were excellent, with students getting involved in doing the work I asked of them. Easy, as they were grade 12 and grade 10.
Maybe I should be demanding that I only teach the high school kids like George does. I would like the easy life too!
Tomorrow is two classes of grade 8s. Ugh! Haha. They are all my favourite kids, but not my favourite students.
Something I learned today?
When the power was out yesterday, Amy went across to the auntie’s, whose house was also out, the one where Tangmo lives. We haven’t seen him for a few days and Amy asked if he was ok. The auntie there said that in the evenings, he likes to go off to the market and hang around there, where he can find food and probably cuddles and more adventure.
Amy said she would be worried about him having to cross the highway to get there, but auntie said that they have seen him waiting for the light to turn red before crossing!
Still, if he were my pup, I would be making sure he had enough love and comforts to want to stay around home and not wander off so far for the evenings!
1994ever 